“Luxury,” says this vintage advertisement, “is that which completes the enjoyment of life.” Which is undoubtedly why we (for certain values of “we”) seek it out.

The manufacturers of the Prestige brand learned a hard lesson about market positioning. Prestige Ltd, based in Australia, had started up in 1922 as a manufacturer of top-quality goods; the company’s bankers and certain members of its board wanted a downmarket line for higher volume, and got it. In less than two years the company was foundering. Founder George Gotardo Foletta, who’d given up his seat on the board in protest, came back to mend their ways. The brand would survive until 1978, five years longer than Foletta did.

And once again, I contend that these old drawings have a distinct personality that fashion photography often lacks.